Chapter 7:The Master and the Student
KS90: Welcome back everyone! We're finally back in commission!
DD23: Time to celebrate!
MM014: *Punches DD23* NO! We're no WHERE NEAR THE END! Um... Sorry about that...
DD23: *Groans in pain*
KS90: You didn't have to hit the guy!
MM014: It's me. What were you expecting?
KS90: Rainbows and butterflies would be a lie... I'm gonna go with Hetalia and Yaoi...
MM014: You know me so well... *Pets KS90's head*
KS90: *Pouts. Then stares at the other co-author on the floor...* Sometimes I wonder if I make the right choices... *sighs* Just enjoy the chapter everyone.
The Way of Life (ZnK Evolution):
rifujin de mujun darake no yononaka
hekondari kujiketari mo suru sa
dakedo tada fuman kazoete itatte
omou you ni kawaru koto wa nai sa
nakitaku natta yoru wa namida kareru made nakou
kabe ni buchiataru toki wa betsu no michi yukeba ii kara
itsuka wa tsukiru inochi da kara ima o akiramezu ni agake
ikite'ru sono imi o sagashitsuzukeru
sore ga ikiru koto sa kitto
Translation:
In this world full of fallacies and contradictions,
of course we'll cave in or be crushed from time to time.
But, if we only keep count of our dissatisfactions,
then the winds will never change in our favor.
When we feel like crying at night, let's cry until our tears run dry.
When we run into a wall, we just need to try a different path.
Since our life is limited, let's keep fighting without giving up.
We keep on searching for the very meaning of our existence,
and that is precisely how we have to live our life.
"Wow! So this is Santalune City!" Willow said. She was standing in front of the Pokemon Center, having she just healed up her Eevee and ScatterBug and stored the Pokedex Pokemon away. "It's very... Um... What's the word?"
"Unique fits." A voice said. Willow gasped and jumped. When she looked for the source of the voice she found Rika standing there with her usual stoic expression.
"Oh it's only you Rika. What the heck, you nearly gave me a heart attack!" Willow exclaimed.
"My bad.. My intention wasn't to startle you but to start talking to you." Rika sighed, closing her eyes and turning around.
"No wait Rika. I guess I'm sorry too. I didn't have to get all hyped up like that..."
"It's all right. We're acquaintances after all. Politeness is key in all relationships."
"Huh? Acquaintances?" Willow asked.
"Well you see, we just met. We need some time to get to know one another better. I'm only friends with Dese and Jer's best friend. We hung out a lot in the past before I moved."
"Moved?" Willow asked again.
"Jer? What kind of names is Thomas putting in your head now?" Jeremiah asked as he approached the two girls.
"Well, it is more convenient than your full name." Willow stated.
"Huh? You don't like my full name now?" Jeremiah asked with a bit of playful disappointment.
"I-I didn't mean it like that! What I meant was-!" Willow panicked, "Um, Rika help!"
"Sorry, you dug your own grave here." Rika said plainly shrugging turning back to face the two.
'How cold is she?!' Willow thought to herself. "Um. OK I guess that's cool..."
"Relax you two. I'm only kidding." Jeremiah laughed. "But listen, I knew I'd find someone I knew here so I came to tell you that there's a tournament going on!"
"Tournament?" They both asked in suprise, Rika even losing her stoic expression for a brief moment.
"Well, in a way, yeah. More like a self-examination at that Trainer School."
"Oh. That makes sense." Rika said, regaining her composure. "Must be in order to see your status as a trainer. I believe it tests in 'Berry Botany', some basic knowledge and a Pokemon battle. I hear each year they have a different way of running things. Like one year every person is on their own and next year it's a teamwork test. So on so forth..." She explained.
"Oh. But what about the students?"
"The students will be examined with the Trainers however they're exam is on a slightly higher level depending on your class rank. And students will be wearing a pin with the school emblem emblazoned on it." Rika went on.
"Oh. Makes sense."
"Yeah, but I wonder how much more difficult the test is gonna be..." Willow said.
"Varies between students based on their rank. To give them more of an appropriate advantage/Challenge. While all trainers on the outside pretty much get a Standardized Test." Rika finished.
"For someone who's never set foot into a Trainer School you seem pretty smart on it." Jeremiah complimented.
"Of course. I look up all kinds of information on our world today. Thanks to the Holo Casters ability to use the internet especially is quite convenient."
"Yeah. Thanks to 'Lysandre Labs' having access to a lot of high quality technology it makes finding information and stuff so much easier!" Willow agreed.
Back at the school, it was only an hour until exams started and soon trainers and spectators from all around the area would be gathered here. Kathy was excited and a mixture of nervousness. She was so happy she could finally graduate from all those text books and field trips and practice battles and finally go out to see the world with her and her Pokemon, and maybe a travelling buddy or two like that Trainer all the way from Kanto... But Kathy was also a bit sad. She would have to leave behind some friends who couldn't graduate this year because their grades were too low or they wanted to learn a bit more. But those friends had encouraged her to go after whatever hopes and dreams she may have.
Kathy wasn't sure what her dream was yet... She was hoping to find out on her journey. Plus, students that fail the exams or caught cheating, they'd have a crap ton of homework to complete and she did NOT want that at all. She had done so much homework for extra credit, she didn't even want to think about it. Just thinking about homework made her sleepy, but she forced herself to focus on reading the last pages of her assigned chapters... 'Just one more hour' was all she thought, 'One more hour...'
Elijah and Dese were sitting on a bench next to each other talking about the Pokedex and other miscellaneous things like: what Pokemon each likes, preference in battles, favorite music, favorite food etc. Trevor saw the two of them talking and he approached them. "Hello there guys!" Trevor said with a smile on his face.
"Oh hello Trevor. Fancy meeting you here... Even though it was a straightforward path from Aquacorde Town to here... Still hi!" Eli replied.
"Don't forget that forest..." Trevor shuddered at the memory of being attacked by bug types.
"Hey Trevor." Dese said, "Improve a bit on your Pokedex?" She asked.
"Why yes I have. Although I doubt I have any different data from you guys." Trevor said sheepishly.
"Nonsense. Let's have a look-see!" Dese told him.
"Alright..." Trevor said reluctantly. He pulled out his Pokedex and opened it. He handed it to Dese and se began to flip through the entries Trevor had so far. Dese stumbled upon one she didn't see on her way here.
"Um... Trevor... What's this one? It looks really derpy." Dese asked.
"Oh... That's Bidoof." Trevor replied.
"It's adorable!" Elijah added, "Sure a bit derpy but adorable nonetheless!"
"R-really?!" Trevor asked.
"Of course~!" Elijah laughed. Maybe more than he should have.
"Wow. Aren't you amazing?" Dese asked sarcastically.
"Why yes, yes I am." Eli answered. This comment made both companions sigh and give him an exasperated expression (or sweatdrop). "Oh. Trevor, are you interested in finding out how well you are as a Pokemon Trainer? With Basic Knowledge of course." Elijah asked.
"Um... Not really. I am already pretty smart, not getting cocky or anything here but, I don't need a test to tell me that." Trevor told them.
"Well, Me Elijah and Jeremiah-"
"Jer, is a bit easier." Elijah interjected.
"Whatever. We're taking that exam today." Dese replied.
"Maybe the others want to join too!" Elijah exclaimed merrily.
"Are you always so loud?" Dese asked with an equally loud voice.
"NOT AS LOUD AS YOU!" Elijah yelled in Dese's ear on purpose.
The past hour had seemingly flown right by in Santalune as people began to gather around the School, both Trainers and spectators for the battles, despite the fact that the battles were last on the list people wanted to be early. To Thomas, who was just entering town had no clue why there were so many people flocking to a school. 'Typically people avoid school... so why is everyone going?' However Thomas himself wasn't to big a fan of school himself, so he managed to steer clear from the crowd and make it to Santalune's Pokemon Center.
"Phew... a bit of sanctuary at last..." He sighed to the Froakie who had been resting on his head the whole time.
"Something troubling you?" Dusk asked him.
"Not really... just took some time to get here was all." He told his partner. "Gee, why are there so many people heading toward school? Don't most people graduate just to leave?"
"I never understand why humans always have pursuits of knowledge yet don't accept it in a systematic way..." Dusk sighed.
"Did you not hear? Today's the Final Exams." A man said approaching him. The man had fiery red hair in the shape of a mane. He wore an all black suit with orange linings and a bit of a fluffed collar.
"Final... what?" Thomas asked as he stared into the man's light blue eyes with a confused gaze. The man returned the gaze with a cool, nonchalant air. Dusk gave the man a sort of glare, already not liking him.
"Basically to see whether students will graduate or not. Pretty big deal to people I suppose." He shrugged."Come sit." The man walked up to a table and pulled out a chair for Thomas and one for himself.
"Why?" Thomas asked a bit nervous at what the man was trying to do.
The man sat down in a chair and said, "You're one of Sycamore's chosen correct?"
"How does he now that name?!" Dusk asked aloud in surprise, but all Lysandre heard was: "Fro, Froakie?!"
"And you are...?"
"My name is Lysandre. Pleased to make your acquaintance chosen child. You seem like you make a sparkling conversationalist. I wanted to see if that was true..." Lysandre replied.
Inside the School, all participants and students were taken to the Gymnasium, basically where students can play games with their Pokemon. But for now, it was where participants and students found their designated partners. Jeremiah had the number 13 and needed to find someone with the number 15... He had been wandering around the Gym constantly asking what everyone's number was but none of them matched or already had a partner... 'This isn't gonna be easy...' Jeremiah thought as he sighed.
"Excuse me, are you a Number 13 by any chance?" Suddenly, that girl's voice became a glimmer of hope to the boy. He shot up and found a student at the academy holding up a paper with 15. On her shoulder was a brown mouse with yellow cheeks and had a thin black tail.
"Yes I am!" He almost screamed. "Glad to finally find you partner!"
"Um... yeah me too." The girl laughed. To her, he was pretty adorable and funny. "My name's Katherine Kanade. But you can call me Kathy. And this here is Sparkle. She's a Dedenne."
"Dene~!" The Pokemon replied
"Nice to meet you Kathy, I'm Jeremiah Cruz! But most people call me 'Jer' now so... Hey let me introduce you to one of my Pokemon!"
"Wouldn't 'Jeremy' or 'Jerry' make much more sense?" Kathy asked, still stuck on her partner's name "But sure, I'd love to meet one of your Pokemon."
"I didn't give me a nickname..." He sighed in response. Jeremiah pulled out a Pokeball and threw it into the air. "I choose you, Ches!" Jeremiah sent out his Chespin.
"Chespin, meet Kathy and her friend Sparkle. Kathy, this is one of my friends Ches."
"Haha... I see. Well let's do our best-"
"Wait a sec! Before we actually start, why not get to know each other a bit better?"
"H-huh?! W-w-w-what are you t-t-t-trying to say?!" Kathy asked with a sudden bit of red on her face. She was so flustered she was waving her arms back and forth as though signalling 'Don't shoot!'. Her Dedenne had to hop off of her shoulder and stood next to Ches, both of them had a confused look on their faces.
"Woah! S-slow down! I'm just asking that because we should get to know each other! the better you know your partner, the better teamwork you have together...! Right?!" Now Jeremiah was flustered and scratched the back of his head also a bit red on the face.
"I guess that makes... sense..." Kathy sighed slowly calming down.
"Now then..." Jeremiah told her in relief, "Tell me some stuff. Like the basic stuff."
"OK. I'm Kathy, as you know. I'm 14 years old, recently turned. I'm a student at this school... I like to watch TV shows, read good books, some shopping (Typical girl thing) and hanging out with friends. I don't like when people insult someone for stupid reasons."
"Hey, I like books too! And I also watch TV and being with friends..." Jeremiah said with a bit of enthusiasm. "But my favorite show is Proteam Omega... You probably think it's a kid's show... But it's not!"
"Are you kidding me?! I love Proteam Omega!" Kathy exclaimed, "That's the best show of like all time!"
"I know right!" Their conversation went on something similar to this for what felt like hours, but as it turns out it was only a few minutes. Soon enough the principal walked up to the podium and began speaking.
"Welcome Pokemon Trainers, those who attend this school and those who are here to test themselves, it is a pleasure to have you all here. I know you all are wondering why we have a randomized buddy system. We have it here to teach students life will never be segregated between them and anyone else and hopefully the message 'we all share this world' gets across. But aside from that, we have some very special spectators watching your performances today-" The Principal spoke.
'Is this a show or a Graduation?' Jeremiah thought as he and Kathy picked up their Pokemon.
"-Our first guest is Santalune City's very own Viola. She will be taking pictures from time to time and hopefully you'll see her in the Santalune Gym. Our next spectators are two very famous professors from other regions. Professor Oak (Everyone loves him, which is why he's here) and Professor Elm along with Professor Birch and Professor Rowan and Professor Juniper."
"Professors?!" Kathy asked, a bit of a sparkle in her eyes.
"Why are they so interesting to you?" Jeremiah asked out of curiosity.
"Because they are the ones who have made so many discoveries in the Pokemon World! How can you not be interested?" Kathy asked in surprise.
"Well, they are pretty cool. But why come here of all places? That's a question I just thought of."
"You're right... Now that I think about it. They weren't here last year. It is strange, and how come Professor Sycamore isn't with them? He contributes to the Pokedex studies just as much." Kathy replied.
"Wait... They're all linked to this device?!" Jeremiah pulled out his Pokedex, surprising Kathy greatly.
"You have a Pokedex?!"
"Yeah."
"You're one of his chosen kids! That's an honor!" Kathy exclaimed.
"Um... Thanks?"
"Be grateful!" She demanded.
"OK OK! I am!" Jeremiah yelled in surprise.
"...Now then," The Principal went on, almost on cue, "Let's begin the exam in the Greenhouse..."
The School was rather big and spacious, so it was no surprise that they had a greenhouse. Any visitors who were not taking the Exam had to be directed to another room while the staff and special guests were leading the students and participants to the greenhouse on the roof.
The greenhouse was in a perfect spot to receive sunlight since it was on the roof and not a cloud was in the sky. "Very pretty." Dese commented to her partner, which was somehow Willow.
"Yeah." Was all she said.
With Jeremiah and Kathy... "Wow! Look at all those Plants inside!" Jeremiah exclaimed.
"All classes are required to grow a plant and do a project on it. Which is why it's part of the final exam." KAthy told him.
"Makes sense."
A teacher with long black hair and huge spectacles wearing a rather large sun hat approached the group. "Hello there! I am Ms. Shoku, and will be here to give you the instructions of this exam. OK our guests here will ask the questions and you have to answer them correctly and answer as many until they are satisfied."
"Wait what?! That's just downright cruel!" Dese was the first to exclaim.
"You're not one for first impressions are you...?" Willow sighed to herself.
"Oh lord..." Elijah sighed, "I feel so bad for Willow..."
"I'd be feeling bad for all the others because soon we'll be the dominating grades." Willis smirked.
"What are you saying?" Elijah asked.
"Oh nothing. Let's just do our best."
"I like the sound of that system Ms. Shoku." One of the Professors said.
"Testing the youth with our knowledge does seem to be a worthy challenge." Another said.
'We are so screwed...!' Jeremiah and Kathy thought at the same time ironically enough.
My Wind will Blow Tomorrow
Chotto matte mite dare datte
Kinou to maru de chigau
Chotto mite mite
Yokogao no shiruetto mo otona sa
Chotto kimi kimi
Iiwake wo shitai kimochi mo wakaru
Datte yo no naka kore ja
Maru de natte nai jan
Da ne! kimochi ii kuuki wo
Ima! suitakute
Shou ga nai shou ga nai
Ashita wa atashi no kaze ga fuku kara ne
Sekaijuu no doa akete oite hoshii
Ashita wa atashi no kaze ga fuku kara ne
Kimi no sono yowamushi wo
Mouretsu ni fukitobasu yo
Goojasu na jinsei wo!
Translation:
Try to wait a while, anyone is
Totally different from yesterday
Try to look for a while
Even the silhouette of the side of your face is mature
Wait [you],
Your wish to make excuses can be understood
Because if the world is like this,
Nothing's is going to get done
Right! The good breeze
Now! want to breathe
Can't be helped, can't be helped
Tomorrow my wind will blow so
Keep the doors in the world open
Tomorrow my wind will blow so
Your cowardice
Will [be] be blown away completely
A gorgeous life!
KS90: OK guys. This'll kinda be a two part thing because the chapter was starting to get a little lengthy.
DD23: Right when we see some Professors... How cruel...
MM014: He's right KS.
KS90: Leave me be... And like you guys are ones to talk, how many cliffhangers have you guys had.
MM014 and DD23: *Silent*
KS90: Exactly.